November 11, 2025

Every Story Deserves a Better Chapter: How Hope in Motion Is Rewriting What’s Possible

Posted November 11, 2025

 

For too long, the story told about children with disabilities has focused on limits instead of possibility. Families have heard what their child will never do more often than what they can become.

But at Kids on the Move (KOTM), we believe something different.

We believe every child is full of potential.
We believe families deserve support, not shame.
We believe that hope is not a wish- it’s a starting point.

And that belief is the foundation of Hope in Motion, a global movement to create a world where children of all abilities are seen, supported, and celebrated.

Because:

Awareness is knowing a child has differences.
Inclusion is making space for them.
But belonging is when no one has to ask for space in the first place.

Hope Is Changing How the World Understands Ability

Children with developmental delays and disabilities are not defined by medical charts, labels, or assumptions. They are artists, explorers, thinkers, leaders, comedians, feelers, and dreamers, just like every other child.

Yet across the world, stigma, misunderstanding, and old beliefs still prevent many children from receiving support, opportunity, or even acceptance.

Hope in Motion is changing that.

We are working to shift global perspectives on what it means to learn, to grow, and to thrive –  partnering with communities to design approaches rooted in cultural respect, compassion, and the strengths of each family.

Our Impact Around the World Includes:

  • Hosting global leaders on our Utah campus to experience inclusive, integrated care models firsthand.
  • Participating in outreach missions to learn how other cultures support neurodiverse children.
  • Co-creating solutions that reflect each community’s language, identity, and traditions.
  • Challenging outdated beliefs and replacing them with hope-filled, evidence-based practices.
  • Building long-term partnerships that strengthen families, not systems that overlook them.

Because every child, everywhere, deserves a chance to thrive.

The Hope in Motion Global Campus: Building the Future of Care

We are designing a first-of-its-kind campus in Utah, a place where children, families, and professionals come together in a community built around belonging, innovation, and joy.

What the Global Campus Will Offer:

  • Collaborative care, where therapists, doctors, and educators work together to support each child.
  • An inclusive art museum, celebrating creativity in all its forms.
  • On-site mental health support for the whole family.
  • Nutrition, wellness, and sensory-friendly spaces that honor each child’s needs.
  • A research and training hub where leaders from around the world come to learn and bring hope home.
  • Playgrounds and gathering spaces designed so everyone belongs.

This isn’t just a building.
It’s a living community where hope becomes visible.

Leading a Movement: Because Hope Doesn’t Stay Still

Hope in Motion is more than an infrastructure, it’s a call to action.

  • We’re telling real stories of children and families, stories that show the world what’s possible.
  • We’re training global providers and community leaders to bring inclusive care back home.
  • We’re elevating voices, ensuring families define their own futures.

“We were told all the things our son wouldn’t do.
No one asked who he was.”
~ KOTM Parent

We are asking.
We are listening.
We are changing the story, together.

Why This Matters

For 40 years, Kids on the Move has walked beside families through milestones both small and extraordinary. We know what children are capable of when they are supported, believed in, and given room to grow.

We’ve seen first steps.
We’ve heard first words.
We’ve watched confidence bloom.

And we know hope makes those moments possible.

Hope in Motion Needs You

If you believe every child deserves to be seen and celebrated…
If you believe families deserve care, not judgment…
If you believe the world can choose belonging over exclusion…

Then you are already part of this movement.

Join us in rewriting what the world believes is possible.

Learn more or get involved at www.hopeinmotionglobal.org

Because hope is not a feeling.
Hope is motion.

 

 

 

 

 

Mat Dastrup, CFO

Mat Datstrop, Chief Financial Officer at KOTM, truly embodies a blend of expertise and visionary leadership. Joining Kids on the Move in September 2019, Mat brought a rich history of accomplishments, having served as CFO for manufacturing and software companies. His successful track record includes starting and selling three businesses, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit and strategic insight. As a licensed CPA and a Six Sigma Black Belt, Mat’s skill set is uniquely suited to driving innovation and accuracy within financial processes. His passion for integrating technology and developing robust accounting systems positions KOTM for long-term success. In his role, Mat is deeply dedicated to creating sustainable impacts that will echo throughout KOTM for decades. His presence in the organization is marked by a steadfast commitment to fostering an environment of lasting change, ensuring families benefit from his transformative work well into the future.

Ryan Erickson, COO

Ryan Erickson, the Chief Operating Officer of KOTM, brings extensive experience and a passionate commitment to nurturing innovation and growth. With over two decades spent as a thought leader and innovator across leadership roles in the medical, software start-ups, technical consulting, and information technology sectors, he has steered successful technology companies to new heights.

Ryan’s expertise is unparalleled. His dedication to mentoring entrepreneurs and CEOs in transforming ideas into reality speaks to his compassionate nature and deep-seated commitment to growth. Serving on several software and technical company boards, Ryan consistently helps these companies reach new heights.

At KOTM, Ryan is uniquely positioned to guide the organization into its next 40 years. His diverse skill set enables KOTM to not only meet current challenges with agility but also to strategically position itself for future growth under his committed leadership. Ryan continues to inspire hope and innovation, reinforcing KOTM’s status as a beacon of support and transformation for families everywhere.

Rachelle Rutherford, CEO

Rutherford is the strategic visionary and Chief Executive Officer of Kids on the Move (KOTM). A multifaceted and sophisticated businesswoman, she has led the trailblazing multimillion-dollar non-profit in its commitment to providing essential and comprehensive support, education, and therapies for children with delays and disabilities.  Rutherford has now spent 20 years in executive leadership roles within the telecommunications, genealogy, real estate, health care services, and education industries. Her notable contributions lie in her perseverance to find impossible and impactful solutions. Rutherford is skilled at reverse-engineering goals by mapping out exactly what is required for a successful outcome.

To help raise $150M to expand KOTM’s support services and establish a state-of-the-art center, Rutherford has partnered with Forbes Books to author and publish Chasing The Impossible, a captivating exposé delving into Kids on the Move’s transformative work. With it, she uncovers the compelling stories of resilience and hope from children, families, doctors, and community members who tenaciously pushed forward when faced with impossible odds or challenges.

Her profound understanding of what it takes to overcome the impossible stems from her own journey as a survivor of abuse and trauma, which has shaped her philanthropic missions, her intuitive nature, and her steadfast leadership. As a CEO, mom, speaker, and philanthropist, Rutherford believes discipline is one of the highest forms of self-love, consistently putting in the necessary work every single day to provide impactful solutions for others, promote a balanced and holistic lifestyle, and create opportunities for continuous growth and empowerment around the world.